The researchers conducted a literature review and selected a combination of quality of life assessments to focus on. The assessments included the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and 9, Oswestry Disability Index, Neck Disability Index and visual analog scale for pain. The quality of life data was institute for three spine surgeons at a tertiary care academic center. The researchers found:
1. One year before the QOL data collection, there were 806 new patient visits completed. The average visit time was 127.9 minutes.
2. Twelve months after the QOL data gathering program began, there were 1,013 new patient visits for an average visit time of 117 minutes. There were 791 QOL measures reported.
3. The researchers initially collected data through paper patient records, but there was a gradual transition to collecting data with electronic medical records.
4. The physicians eventually eliminated paper forms and used an online portal as part of the patient rooming process. The transition led to a nearly 98 percent electronic capture without decreasing the patients enrolled in the process.
5. The researchers concluded it was feasible to collect spine registry data with an EHR system with “distinct advantages over registries that require dual data entry.”
6. The data collection process didn’t impact the clinical visit or providers’ workflow. “This approach is scalable and may form the foundation for a decentralized outcomes registry network,” concluded the study authors.
